House car construction



Feb. 15, 1938. F. DlTcHFlELD 2,108,309

HOUSE CAR coNsTRUTIoN Filed Aug. 24, 1935 5 shets-sheet 1 Feb. 15, 1938. F. DITCHFIELD HOUSE CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug.v 24, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 15, 1938 HOUSE CAR CONSTRUCTION Frank Ditcheld, Cleveland, Ohio, assigner to The Youngstown Steel Door Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 24, 1935, Serial No. 37,717

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in house car construction.

Many thousands of house cars rendered unsuitable for use by present day requirements are owned by the railroads. Of these cars a large number have side wall constructions in which the sheathing, posts and braces and side sills are of wood. The underframes of these cars are, however, of metallic construction and where these underframes are still serviceable it is evident economy to again place them in service if possible. To this end there has been submitted to the railroads a scheme of conversion by means of which modern metallic house cars are obtained. reemploying the existing satisfactory underframes of the old wooden box cars.

' The scheme of conversion contemplates necessarily the attainment of modern house cars capable of carrying heavy loads. y The accomplishment of this purpose presents a diicult problem in many instances and particularly so in the class of wooden cars wherein the underframe embodies center and intermediate metallic sills and in which the conversion to metallic house cars would leave the underframe without side sills.

Moreover, since the car side walls of the converted metallic walls function as girders they would impress stresses upon side sills which the old side sills could not satisfactorily carry. These considerations, together with the further factor that conversion must be met with as little variation as possible in the existing members whichl are to be reused, render the problem confronting applicant particularly acute.

It is, therefore, the object of this invention to overcome the obstacles above noted and to provide for the conversion of cars of the character described to metalliccars having the requisite capacity and strength demanded of modern railway house cars.

With this object in View and others which will become clear as the description of the invention proceeds, this invention embodies the novel structure and combination of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out and deiined in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming part of this speclcation:

Figure 1 is a partial elevation of a railway house car embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, omitting a showing of the intermediate posts and sheathing on one side of the car. The floor boards are omitted from this view (Cl. Ilm-404) in order to better show the car underframe construction.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-4 5 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment 'of the invention is illustrated, a railway house car designated bythe numeral III is partially illustrated. A portion of the car side wall construction extending from an end of the car and partly into the door opening II is indicated at I2. It will be understood that the remaining portion of the car side wall I2 is complementary to that portion and that the car side wall on the other side of the car is similar in construction.

Each side wall, which is preferably constructed as a. unit for application to the underframe of the car hereinafter referred to, comprises door posts, one of which is indicated at I3 and spaced intermediate side posts I4. The door posts I3 will, of course, define the vertical boundaries of the door opening II in each side of the car. The door and intermediate posts are secured at their upper portions to the depending leg I5 of a side plate I6 which extends continuously from end to end of the car. The side plate I6,'which is 30 Z-shaped in section, is disposed with its web I1 arranged horizontally and its inner leg I8 extending upwardly and providing a means for attachment oi the ends of the car roof, designated generally by the numeral I9. A reinforcing chan- 35 nel member 20 is secured to the upwardly extending leg I8 of the side plate by means of rivets 2I passing through the web 22 of the reinforcing member. The intermediate posts and the door posts are secured to the reinforcing channel mem- 40 ber, this securement in the instance of the intermediate posts I4 being effected by means of rivets 23 passing through the ange 24 of said posts and the web 22 of the reinforcing channel member as well as through a filler plate 25 disposed be- 45 tween said post flange and said web of the channel member. At their lower portions the door posts are secured to a channel shaped member 26 by means of angle clips fastened to Ian inwardly extending iiange 21 of said post as by 50 means of rivets 28 and to the web of the channel member 26 by means of rivets 29. Each of the intermediate posts is secured to the channel member 26 by means of a bracket member 30 disposed below the lower end of the post and pro- 55 vided with flanges 3| arranged on opposite sides of the web 32 of said post and secured thereto as by means of rivets 33. The bracket 30 is also secured to the web of the channel member 26 as by means of rivets 34.

Metallic sheathing is incorporated in the side wall constructions and extends from each door post to the'corresponding end of the car. This sheathing preferably embodies a plurality of metallic sheets 35 which extend between the posts and have their adjacent margins overlapped upon and secured to the intermediate posts |4, as indicated at 36. At their upper margins the sheets 35 are secured to the depending leg |5 of the side plate I6 while at their lower margins said sheets are secured to the channel members 26 by means of angular metallic connecting members 31. Each member 31 is preferably Z-shaped in section to provide an outer upstanding flange 36 riveted along the lower margins of the metallic sheets, as indicated at 39. The web 40 of the Z-shaped connecting members extends inwardly from said upper flange and from this web there depends a vertical flange 4| by means of which the connecting member is secured to the channel member 26, the rivets 34 being utilized to this end. It will be apparent that the web 40 of the connecting member will be coped in order to permit the projection of the flanges 3| of the attaching brackets 30 through said webs for the securement of said flanges to the lower portions of the intermediate posts.

The construction above described which, as referred to, may be constructed as a unit, may then be applied to the underframe end of a car which is to be converted, or of a new car. This application is effected by the securement of the channel member 26 to the ends of the cross members of said underframe hereinafter described so that the channel members are then impressed with the function of side sills in the completed car construction. It will be apparent that in such construction the side plates, side sills and posts constitute girders on each side ofthe car capable of carrying stresses imposed upon the underframe of the car. Under these stresses the posts function as tension members, the side plate as a compression member and the side sill as a tension member.

The underframe to which the side wall construction is applied embodies a center sill 42 and spaced intermediate sills 43. The center sill comprises, briefly, spaced vertical plate members, one of which is indicated at 44, an outer angle member 45 secured to the upper margin of each of the plate members and angle members 46 arranged in spaced back to back relationship between which is received the lower portion of the plate member 44. The angle members 46 are secured to this lower portion of said plate member. A flanged diaphragm 41 extends between and is secured to the plate members 44 as by means of rivets 46. A cover plate 49 is secured to the diaphragm 41 and extends across the angle member 45 to which it is additionally secured as by rivets 56.

Each of the intermediate sills 43 comprises a plate member 5| to the upper margin of which an outwardly disposed angle member 52 is secured. A similarly disposedangle member 53 is secured to the lower margin of the plate member 5|. Crossbearers, designated as a whole by the reference numeral 54, extend from the center sill outwardly beyond the intermediate sills 43. A more elaborate description of the center and intermediate sills and the crossbearers is not necessary and will not be given inasmuch as the structure of these parts is well known.

In addition to the foregoing parts of the underframe the latter comprises bolsters, one of which is designated at 55 and end sills, one of which is indicated at 56. These parts are of a well-known type and need not here be described in greater detail.

As hereinabove stated in the application of the car side wall to the underframe, above referred to, the channel member 26 is secured to the ends of the cross bearers and bolsters. This securement is effected in the case of the crossbearers by means of rivets 51 which are driven through the web of the channel member 26 and through openings existing in fianges 56 formed on the crossbearers. Similarly, the channel member 26 is secured to the ends of the holsters 55 as by means of rivets 59 extending through the web of the channel member 26 and through existing openings provided in a flange 66 of each of the crossbearers. It will be apparent from the foregoing that in the instance of a converted ho'use car the existing structure is utilized without modification. The rivets 59 utilized in the securement of the channel member 26 to the ends of the bolsters 55 are employed to fasten to said bolsters bracket members 6| which constitute the connecting and attaching brackets between the lower ends of the intermediate side posts disposed opposite the bolsters and the car underframe. Each of the brackets 6| is supported upon a plate construction designated 62 extending outwardly from the ends of the holsters 55.

Within the door opening, the extent of which is defined by the door posts I3 and at the points in alinement with these posts, the ch'annel shaped member 26 is reinforced in such a manner as to carry directly the stresses imposed thereon to the intermediate side sills. It is apparent that within the door opening the channel members 26 act as beams and that they do not have the advantage of the intermediate posts in assisting them in carrying the stresses imposed upon said members. The preferred reinforcement for the channel members 26 in the door opening of the car side Walls takes the form of a strut or compression member 63, preferably channel shaped in cross section, as indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings. The strut 63 is bent at its ends so as to provide an attaching portion 64 at its upper end, by means of which said strut is secured to the lower inturned flange 65 of the channel member. At its lower end the attaching portion of the strut 63 is designated by the numeral 64-A and this attaching portion is secured to the lower end of the intermediate sill 5| as by means of rivets 66.

'Ihe intermediate sill 5| being a vertical member, it is desirable that the 'stresses imposed thereon be vertical stresses. Inasmuch as the strut 63 is arranged at an angle to the intermediate sill, it will be apparent that said strut under load imposed upon the channel 26 will tend to trans-A mit a compressive stress to the intermediate side sill. To offset this compressive stress and to insure that the intermediate side sill will be subjected to tension rather than compression, a brace 61 is utilized. This brace-is provided with a lower angular portion 66 secured to the lower part of the intermediate sill in alinement with the brace 63 by means of the rivets 66 securing the latter brace to the intermediate sill. An angular attaching portion 66 is formed at the upper end of the brace 61 by means of which said brace is attached to the center sill 42 by means of the rivets 50. By virtue of the construction` just described which, as hereinabove provides a girder construction. By virtue of this fact the intermediate and door posts will function as tension members when the car is subjected to stress. As a consequence of this fact the intermediate posts, when under stress, will tend to exert an upward pull upon the channel side sill members 26, thereby tending to cause rotation of said side sill about their upper portions.

This undesirable tendency is overcome by the instant invention. v

. With particular reference to Figures 2 and 5 of the drawings it will be observed that a strap member 69 connects the channel member 26 with the intermediate sill opposite each of the intermediate side posts where said posts are spaced from a cross member. These strap members constitute tension members. One end of each of the strap members is riveted to the angle member 52 of the adjacent intermediate sill. For the attachment of the strap member 69 to the channel side sill 26 the following construction is utilized. The bracket member 3l! is provided with a horizontal ilange 10 which extends through an opening 1I formed in the web of the channel side sill. 'I'his ilange 10 is secured to a strap member 69 as by means of rivets 12. It will be clear from the foregoing construction that any tendency of the channel side sill 26 to rotate about its upper portion will be resisted by means of the strap member 69 which will be placed under tension and this stress will be carried directly to the adjacent intermediate sill.

It is clear from the foregoing description that the invention successfully provides for the conversion of an old wooden sheathed car into a modern metal sheathed car, although it is to be understood that the instant invention may be utilized as readily in new car construction.

It will, thus, be-apparent from the foregoing detailed description of the instant invention that the objects thereof areiachieved by the disclosed construction. However, it is not intended that the invention be limited to the details of the structure illustrated and described, it being apparent that numerous changes and modifications of the precise details will be manifest to those skilled in the art. The invention, therefore, is not to be limited except as indicated by the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A metallic railway house car converted from a house car having originally wooden side walls and metallic underframe including a center sill. holsters, cross bearers and intermediate sills secured to and extending downwardly below said 4crossbearers, said converted car comprising said original sills,bolsters and cross bearers, metallic side sills secured to the ends of said bolsters and cross bearers, compression members secured to said side sills extending downwardly and inwardly and secured to said intermediate sills below said cross bearers, compression members secured to said intermediate sills below said cross bearers extending inwardly and upwardly and secured to the upper portion of said center sill, said compression members carrying the horizontal component of the stresses imposed thereon to said center sill whereby said intermediate sill is subjected to the vertical component of said stresses and metallic side walls comprising intermediate and door posts,'side plates and metallic sheathing, said posts being rigidly secured to said side sills and side plates, said sheathing being secured to said posts, side sills and sideplates.

2. A metallic railway house car converted from a house car having originally wooden side walls \and metallic underframe including a center and intermediate 'sills and cross members, said converted car comprising said original sills and cross members, metallic side sills secured to the ends of said cross members, compression members se cured to said side sills extending downwardly and inwardly and secured to the lower portions of said intermediate sills for transmitting stresses imi posed on said side sills to said intermediate sills,

compression members secured to the lower portions of said intermediate sills extending inwardly and upwardly and secured to the upper portion of said center sill fortransmitting the horizontal component of said stresses to said center sill, tension members connecting said side sills and intermediate sills, and metallic side Walls comprising intermediate and door posts, side plates and metallic sheathing, said posts being rigidly secured to said side sills and side plates, said sheathing being secured to said posts, side sills and side plates.

3. A metallic railway houser car converted from a house car having originally wooden side Walls and metallic underframe including a center and intermediate sills and cross members, said converted car comprising said original sills and cross members, metallic side sills secured to the ends of said cross members, metallic side plates, metallic door and intermediate posts secured to said side sills and side plates, said door posts deiining the 'vertical boundaries of door openings provided in the sides of said converted car, compression members inclined downwardly from said side sills and secured to said side and intermediate sills between said door posts, compression members alined with said former compression members inclined upwardly from said in-f termediate sills and secured to said intermediate and center sills, tension members extending between and secured to said side and intermediate sills beyond said door posts to prevent outward and upward turning of said sills, and metallic sheathing secured to said posts, side sills and side plates.

4. A metallic railway house car converted from a house car having originally Wooden side walls and metallic underframe including a center and intermediate sills and cross members, said converted car comprising said original sills and cross members, metallic side sills secured to the ends of said cross members, metallic side plates, metallic door and intermediate posts secured to said side sills and side plates, said door posts defining the vertical boundaries of door openings provided in the sides of said converted car, compression members inclined downwardly from said side sills and secured to said side and intermediate sills between said door posts, compression members alined with said former compression members inclined upwardly from said intermediate sills and secured to said intermediate and center sills, tension membersv extending between and secured to said side and intermediate sills beyond lsaid door posts to prevent outward and upward turning of said sills, and metallic sheathing secured to said posts, side sills and side plates, said tension members being disposed in alinement with said intermediate posts which are spaced longitudinally from said cross members.

5. A metallic railway house car converted from a house car having originally wooden side walls and metallic underi'rame including a center and intermediate sills and cross members, said converted car comprising said original sills and cross members, metallic side sills secured to the ends of said cross members, compression members secured to said side sills extending downwardly and inwardly and secured to the lower portions of said intermediate sills, compression members secured to the lower portions of said intermediate sills extending inwardly and upwardly and secured to the upper portion of said center sill, said compression members carrying the horizontal component of the stresses imposed thereon by said side sills to said center sill, tension members connecting said side and intermediate sills for preventing outward and upward turning of said sills,.side plates, intermediate and door posts secured at their respective upper and lower portions to said side plates and side sills, said posts being spaced outwardly of said side sills to provide for an increase of inside width in the converted car, metallic sheathing secured to the outside of said posts and along their upper margins to said side plates, said sheathing being spaced outwardly of said sills, and means extending between and secured along the lower margins of said 'sheathingl and to said side sills.

6. A metallic railway house car converted from a house car having originally wooden side Walls and metallic underframe including a center and intermediate sills and cross members, said converted car comprising said original sills and cross members, metallic side sills secured to the ends of said cross members, metallic side plates, metallic intermediate and door posts, means securing the upper portions of said posts to said side plates, brackets securing the lower portions oi' said intermediate posts to said side sills, bracing members connecting said side sills to said intermediate sills between said door posts for carrying stresses imposed on said side sills to said intermediate sills, bracing members alined with said first-mentioned bracing members connecting said intermediate and center sills for carrying the horizontal component of the stresses in said first mentioned bracing members to said center sill, -tension members connecting said side sills and intermediate sills beyond said door posts for preventing outward and upward rotation of said side sills, said brackets having ilanges extending through said side sills and said tension members being secured to said iianges.

7. A metallic railway house car having an underframe including metallic center, intermediate and side sills and cross members, the spacing and size of said sills and cross members being substantially the same as in a car having wooden sheathing, said metallic car embodying metallic side walls secured to said side. sills formed of side wall girders and metallic sheathing spaced lat- .erally outwardly of said side sills, compression members secured to said side sills and extending downwardly therefrom and secured to said intermediate sills, compression members secured to said intermediate sills and extending upwardly therefrom and secured to said center sill and means extending from the lower margin of said ysheathing to said side sills for spanning the gap between said sheathing and said sills, whereby said car has an increased inside width and greater load carrying capacity than said carhaving said metallic underframe and wooden sheathing.

FRANK DITCHFIELD. 

